Olivier's Career High Powers Titans Past 49ers

FULLERTON, CA -
Cal State Fullerton sophomore Mya Olivier scored a career-high 23 points to go with seven rebounds and the host Titans shot 44 percent from the floor Saturday afternoon en route to a 74-53 victory over Long Beach State at Titan Gym.

The win snapped a three-game skid overall for Fullerton (9-11, 2-6 in the Big West Conference) and a five-game conference losing streak dating back to a win at UC Davis on Dec. 31. The 49ers fell to 9-12 overall, 4-4 in league play with the loss.

Olivier finished 9-of-10 from the floor to tally her second career 20-point scoring performance and led three Titans in double figures as senior Megan Richardson (15 points) and Alicya Crisp (11) also chipped in as Fullerton posted their best shooting night since hitting 45 percent at San Jose State on Dec. 22.

Alex Sanchez and Bianka Balthazar led the way for Long Beach State with 11 points apiece with Tipesa Moorer added 10 points in the loss.

A 13-2 run midway through the first half broke open a close game for the Titans after the 49ers had rallied from five points down to tie the game at 16-16. Fullerton closed the half with a 6-2 burst to carry a 35-24 lead into the locker room at the break and opened the second period on a 12-5 run to push its lead to 18 points at 47-29 with 16:43 to play.

The Titans led by as many as 25 points with five minutes to play in the second half, back by 48 percent shooting from the field and a quintet of three-pointers. Fullerton's defense held Long Beach State to just 35 percent from the field for the game and the Titans, who finished with 18 assists on 28 made shots, also led on the glass, 38-34.

Cal State Fullerton finished 10-of-21 from three-point range for the game, tying a season high set in a win over Loyola Marymount on Nov. 21.

Fullerton's longest homestand of the season concludes next weekend with a pair of games at Titan Gym. The Titans host UC Davis on Wednesday (Feb. 1) at 7 p.m. before welcoming Pacific on Saturday (Feb. 4) at 2 p.m. in the first game of a doubleheader with the Fullerton men's team, which hosts UC Santa Barbara at 6 p.m. in a nationally televised contest on ESPNU.